St. Patrick’s Day events

Friday, March 17

Here are some of the St. Patrick’s day events going on near Sarasota.

Clancy’s Irish Pub and Sports Bar and Grill, 6213 Cortez Road, Bradenton. Entertainment starts at noon today with trumpeter Leon Merion, cloggers, bagpipers (5-8 p.m.), Dr. Dave (7-9 p.m.) and Big Daddy (10 p.m.-1 a.m.). Matt Brown entertains on the deck, 6-10 p.m. Special menu all day including corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie and Irish coffee. Prize for Best Irish Costume.

This year, Clancy’s is providing a free shuttle service. Satellite parking is available at the Shoppers of Paradise Bay Plaza/Winn-Dixie parking lot on 75th and Cortez Road with a shuttle to Clancy’s from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. Information: 794-2489.

Tierney’s Irish Pub, 5106 14th St. W., Bradenton. Bagpipers, step dancers, Elvis impersonators. A special menu includes corned beef and cabbage, Reuben sandwiches, shepherd’s pie and fish ‘n’ chips. Information: 752-1531.

The Bradenton Elks Lodge, 2511 75th St. W., Bradenton, will host a St. Patrick’s Day open house beginning at noon today with the sounds of Ireland by Denis O’Connor. Party continues until 11 p.m. with Don Huntsinger, Irish step dancers, and the Shrine Pipers. Irish food starting at $4 and a cash bar. Information: 792-1511.

Ellenton VFW Post 9226, 3511 12th St. E., Ellenton, serves a corned beef and cabbage dinner with carrots and potatoes 4-8 p.m. today. Dinner is $6, corned beef sandwiches are $4. Live entertainment by One of a Kind. Information: 729-8535.

McSwiggins, 1301 Eighth Ave. W., Bradenton. Live music, a menu that includes shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage and specials on Irish whiskey. Information: 748-1625.

Publix Supermarket, 2875 University Parkway. Beginning at 6:30 p.m. today, Marc Positano, resident chef at the Publix, hosts a beer tasting of Irish beer with a cooking demonstration of Irish cuisine. Served with Guinniss, Harpo and Smithwick’s beer are Irish cheddar soup, smoked salmon and spicy gaufrettes, herb- scented lamb chops au jus with colcannon, and chocolate Irish stout cake. Cost is $35 per person. Information: 358-1169.

Four Green Fields, 205 W. Platt St., Tampa. Irish buffet 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, fish ‘n’ chips, Irish stew, Irish soda bread. Live music starts at noon, with Irish ballads and folklore inside, and Pat and Andy Dunlea outside. Information: (813) 254-4444.

Sunday, March 19

Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Lakewood Ranch. “St. Patrick’s - Spread the Luck ‘O the Irish,” tailgate picnic competition. Gates open at 11:30 a.m., match begins at 1 p.m. First, second and third place awards for best tailgate picnic judged for cuisine, presentation and creativity. Sandwiches and drinks also available for purchase. Admission: $10 per person, free for 12 years and younger. Information: 907-000.

“Galway to Broadway,” an afternoon of Irish music starring Ciaran Sheehan, Irish tenor from Broadway’s “Phantom of the Opera,” accompanied by Gay Willis, mezzo-soprano, and Eily O’Grady, pianist, 2 p.m. Benefit for St. Martha School. At St. Anne Hall at Bishop Nevins Academy, 4380 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Refreshments follow the performance. Tickets are $30. Information: 926-1672.

Beach Bistro St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Parade begins 4 p.m. Sunday from Holmes Beach City Hall, 5801 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach, ending at the corner of Gulf Drive and Palm Drive. Marching bands, “best leprechaun” costume for children. Information: 773-6444.

From: Herald Tribune

Recognized as the cultural center of the state of Florida since the early 1920s, artists of many disciplines, writers, performers, musicians, and architects have been attracted to the community in great numbers. Sarasota is the home of Florida West Coast Symphony and its famous Sarasota Music Festival which draws students, musicians, professors, and lovers of chamber music from around the world for a three-week event of international importance; Sarasota Ballet; Sarasota Opera; and numerous other musical, dance, artistic, and theatrical venues.

The community also is renowned as the home of the Sarasota School of Architecture which developed as an adaptation to its sub-tropical climate, using newly emerging materials manufactured or implemented following World War Two.

Sarasota is home to Mote Marine Laboratory, a premier marine rescue, research, and aquarium; Marie Selby Botanical Gardens with its renowned orchid collection; G-Wiz Museum, a science museum of hands on-appeal to children of all ages; Sarasota Jungle Gardens, which carries on early tourist attraction traditions; as well as many historic sites and neighborhoods.

Colleges in Sarasota include New College of Florida, a highly acclaimed public liberal arts college which serves as the honors college for the state; Ringling School of Art and Design, a school of art, music, and design; and a satellite campus of both University of South Florida and Eckerd College. Several two-year colleges include Sarasota County Technical Institute and Keiser College of Sarasota.